Encircling tool



June 18, 1963 c. E. KAZIMIR ENCIRCLING TOOL 3 sheetssheet '1' INVENTOR. CY/AIQCfS KAZ/M/R BY Filed Jan. 27, 1961 AT TURNEY June 18, 1963 r c. E. KAZIMIR ENCIRCLING TOOL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 27, 1961 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY CHARMS (5 KAZ/N/R 6% June 18, 1963 c. E. KAZIMlR ENCIRCLING TOOL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 27, 1961 INVENTOR. CHAR'S E, KAZ/M/R WM ATTORNEY United This invention relates to an encircling tool, and more particularly to such a tool for encircling a given object with a flexible material which is fastened in position.

Many fields have need for a device for encircling an object or group of objects with a band, strap, wire, tape or the like. The encircling medium may serve any one of a number of functions, such as, binding objects together, acting as a label, retaining an outer member contact with an inner member, such as in fastening insulation on pipe.

For sample, in connecting electrical equipment where extensive wiring is required, particularly in connecting modules, the practice has frequently been to prepare p-reformed harnesses holding a large number of wires to gether. Unless large numbers of identical harnesses are employed with identical wiring arrangements, this procedure is uneconomical, because for every different grouping of wires, a separate harness has to be designed. Because of these limitations recourse has been had to hand operations in which groups of wires are manually tied together. Such hand-tying operations are time consuming, costly, unreliable, wasteful of material, likely to injure the insulation on the conductors being tied, and result in nonuniformity of tension. A satisfactory machine for this purpose would be of great value, but, in general, such machines of the prior art are relatively stationary and clumsy in use, not being readily adaptable .to variations in sizes of the objects to be encircled and requiring these objects to be fed edgewise into a preformed loop prior to tensioning. Thus, in dealing with wires where the ends of the wires are connected to equipment, many of such machines are impractical.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved encircling tool, particularly one which is portable and which can be applied to the objects to be encircled at a point intermediate the ends thereof.

A further object is the provision of a tool which contains a supply of flexible material for encircling objects, which seals the loop formed and severs the loop from the supply of material.

A still ftuther object is the provision of an encircling tool which can apply the same tension repetitively, the tension being adjustable by the operator.

To summarize the present invention, in one aspect it consists of a tool having open jaws between which objects are placed, the jaws being arranged for relative movement toward each other, thus encircling objects placed between them. Other different aspects of the present invention include the following: a supply of flexible encircling material is carried the body of the tool, and is fed out during the encircling operation under a uniform but adjustable tension; the tool automatically seals the ends of the flexible material and severs the resultant loop from the supply.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will be come more apparent by reference to the description taken on conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cutaway side view illustrating an encircling tool embodying the principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail view of the upper jaw;

FIG. 3 is a detail view of the lower jaw;

FIG. 4 is a detail view of the tape advance means;

to atct FIG. 5 is another detail view of the tape advance means;

FIG. 6 is a detail view of the plate used for holding one end of the tape and severing the sealed loop;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view through the lower jaw and the lower jaw guide;

'FIG. 8 is a detail view of the tool with the jaws in the closed position;

FIG. 9 is a sectional View through a tensioning means;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view through a tensioning means along lines 10-1tl of FIG. 9; and

"FIG. 11 is a view of a tensioning means.

The encircling tool comprises a body with a removable cover and an attached handle. At one end of the body are two oppositely disposed jaws. One jaw is arranged to be moved by a lever system through a circular path to approach the second jaw. A supply of tape is carried inside the body wd arranged to be disposed across the jaws.

In operation the tool is advanced so that the wires are bundled between the jaws with the wires pushing against the tape and being partially surrounded by it. Actuation of the main operating lever of the lever system advances the lower jaw, with one end of the tape attached thereto, until the tape is joined with itself in a loop about the wires. A cold shoe attached to the upper jaw and a hot shoe attached to the lower jaw compress the tape firmly. An electric heater wire in the hot shoe is energized by the trigger, causing the thermoplastic tape to fuse against itself, forming a sealed loop which is severed from the tape supply by a shearing blade coacting with the edge of the cold shoe. The tightness of the loop against the encircled bundle is regulated by the movement of the flexible steel band which is disposed between the jaws adjacent the tape and presses the tape around the bundle.

Turning to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, a portable tool 2 of this invention is shown in the open or starting position ready to bind a bundle of wires or other material. The tool 2 comprises a hollow body 4 with a removable cover, not shown, and attached handle 6. At the end of the body opposite the handle are an upper fixed jaw 8 and a lower movable jaw 10. The upper jaw 8 is formed integrally with the body 4- itself; the lower jaw 10 is a separate arcuate member mounted to the body by a similarly arcuate lower jaw guide 12 and arranged to slidably move on the jaw guide 12. Bolts 14 and 16 connect the lower jaw to the jaw guide, bolt 14 being fixedly attached to the body near the extremity of jaw guide 12, and bolt 16 being fixedly attached near the extremity of jaw 10. Bolt 14 slidably engages jaw 10; bolt '16 slidably engages jaw guide '12. A cold shoe '18 is attached to jaw 8; a hot shoe 20 is attached to lower jaw 10. Cold shoe 18 and hot shoe 20 are so mounted as to be in register when juxtaposed by the advancement of lower jaw 10 toward upper jaw 8.

The hot shoe 20 contains an electric heating coil, not shown, which is connected to an outside source of power by means of terminal 22, a conductor loop 24-, and condoctors 26 and Z8. Conductor 28, which is coupled to the outside source of power, passes through the bottom rear of handle 6 through bushing 30 and connects to switch 32. Conductor 26 connects with switch 32 and passes out of the body through bushing 34. The conduct-or loop 24 lengthens as lower jaw 10 is advanced and shortens as the lower jaw is returned.

As pointed out hereinbefore, the tape used for encircling the wires is spread between the jaws and is held at one end by the lower jaw as follows, reference being had to FIGURES 3 and 6. The tape holding means consists of a plate 36 which contains a rectangular slot '38, a rounded slot 40, groove 42 and blade edge 44. A bolt 4-6 fits through slot :40 and, being threaded only at its extremity, is fastened firmly in lower jaw 10 while allowing movement of plate 36. Spring 48 is mounted in bracket r 3 50 and disposed to engage normal, position of spring 48 is such that plate 36 is urged toward the lower lip 52 of body 4. In the fully retracted position of the lower jaw, however, the plate flat side 54 engages the lower lip 52 and is restrained from further motion. Thus, as is seen in FIGURE 3, the rectangular slot 38 is disposed clear of hot shoe so that the tape leader 100' can be inserted as will be described below.

The lower jaw advance means is shown in (FIGURE 1 and consists of a system of levers, pulleys, and springs so that the action of the tool operator in pressing and releasing a lever causes the lower jaw to advance arcuately toward the upper jaw. More specifically, the lower jaw advance means consists of the following. An operating lever 56 is pivotally mounted on handle 6 by pin 58. A first lever 60 is connected by shaft 62 to lever es. A second lever 64 is connected to the first lever 69 by second shaft 66 and is pivotally mounted on the body 4 by pin 68. Second lever '64 is attached to band 70 by shaft 72. The advance band 70 turns on idler 74 and is connected to the lower jaw 10* by bolt 16. Idler 74 is supported by bracket 73, spring 75 and clip 77 which is connected to body 4, as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, idler 74 is yieldingly restrained by spring 75 for reasons which are elucidated below.

Means are also provided for returning the lower jaw to the open position when lever 56 is released. A lower jaw return band 76 is connected at one end to bolt 16 and passes over idler pulley 78 into first tensioning means 80 which is described hereinafter and serves to return the lower jaw to its open position.

' As pointed out before, a tension band 82 is used to provide a controlled tension in the tape encircling the bundle of wires. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 8, the tension band 82 is attached to lower jaw 10 by shaft 84 and extends across the spacing between the lower jaw and the upper jaw passing into the body through slot 86, over idler pulley 88, and into a tensioning device 90, which also will be described hereinafter.

The tape supply and feed are arranged 'as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. A roll of thermoplastic tape 92 is mounted on pin 94 inside body 4. A fiat spring 96 is attached by screws 98 to pin 94 and serves as a friction means to restrain, but not hinder, the movement of tape roll 92 on pin 94. The tape leader 100 is threaded through tape driving rollers 102 and 104 and emerges from the body through slot 106-. The free end of tape leader 100 is withdrawn sufficiently far to permit it to be inserted in rectangular slot 38 of plate 36, as shown in FIGS. 3 "and 6. The rollers 88, 102, and 1041are mounted to the body by pins 108, 110, and 112 respectively and are composed of soft rubber or other material which has a high degree of surface friction. The rollersyare arranged adjacent each other in such a way that the rotation of roller 88 causes a corresponding rotation in tape leader driving rollers 102 and 104. The movement of the tension band 82 into :and from the tensioning device 90 in response to movement of the lower jaw 10 causes roller 88 to move due to the engagement of band 82 with roller 88. r I

As shown in FIGURES 2, 4, and 5, roller 88 has an annular groove in which the band 82 is guided. Similarly, roller 102 has an annular groove in which the tape leader is guided. Roller 104 has an annular ridge which cooperates with the groove of roller 102 in frictionally moving the tape leader back and forth as further explained below.

As mentioned above, the tape is sealed in a loop about the bundle of wires and the resultant loop is severed from the tape supply. The tape severing means is shown in FIGURES 3, 6, and 8. The blade edge 44 of plate 36 coacts with the edge 126 of cold shoe 18 to produce a shearing action on tape disposed therebetween. The surface 128 of upper jaw 98 is recessed slightly to permit completion of the shearing action.

groove 42. The relaxed, or

FIGURE 7 is a cross section through the lower jaw 10 and lower jaw guide 12 and shows the shape of these members. Both are open in the middle to permit the hot shoe advance band 7 0 to move freely theret'hrough. Further they are arranged to permit the lower jaw to slide along the jaw guide but to restrain lateral motion of the lower jaw.

FIGURE 8 shows the jaws in the closed positioncompletely encircling a bundle of wires with the tape loop formed about the wires, the loop sealed against itself between the cold and hot shoes, and the material supply severed therefrom by the blade edge 44.

The adjustable tensioning means are shown in FIG- URES 9, 10, and 11. FIGURES 9 and 10 are sections through a tensioning means 130 typical of tensioning devices 80 and 90. A cover 132 for the tensioning device is fastened to the body 4 by bolts 134. The band 136 is typical of bands 76 and $2 and is attached to a shaft 138 which is adjusted by handle 140. Spring 142 is attached at one end to shaft 138 and at the other end to cover 132 and urges the band into a coiled position inside the cover. Ratchet 144 is attached to shaft 138 and engages pawl 146. Pawl 146 is pivotally attached to body 4 by pivot 143. Lever 150 permits the release of the pawl 146. Spring 152 is attached to body 4 by connector 154 and urges pawl 146 into engagementwith ratchet 144. The tension in the band 136 is set by turning handle 1451 which winds or tightens the spring 142. The handle is held in the wound or tightened position by ratchet 144 which is in turn held by pawl 146. Tension may be released by moving lever to release pawl 146 and permit the ratchet 144 and handle 140 to turn thus reducing the tightness of the Winding of spring 142.

FIGURE 11 is a view of the tensioning means showing handle 14%, cover 132, and slot 156. The slot 156 may be calibrated at its edge to indicate the tension applied. The position of the outer-most convolution 158 of spring 142 opposite a calibrating mark 160 is indicative of the tension applied.

In operation the operator holds the binding tool in one hand, grasps tape leader 100 with the other hand and inserts tape leader 100 into slot 38 of the tape restraining means. A slight pressure on lever 56 moves lower jaw guide 12 slightly forward causing the plate 36 to move away from shoulder 52. Spring 48 moves plate 36 backward along the lower jaw 10 thus causing tape 100 to be firmly engaged between hot shoe 20 and plate 36. The tool 2 is then advanced to introduce the bundle of wires to be bound between upper jaw 8 and lower jaw 10 thus pressing tape 100 against band 82 so as to pull the band out of the device 90. The lever 56 is further displaced causing the lower jaw 10' to move the hot shoe 20 and the attached tape around the bundle. Due to the coupling between tape 100 and band 82 provided by the rollers 88, 102, and 104, the tension applied to the tape encircling the bundle will be equal to the tension applied to band 82.

When the bundle is completely encircled by a loop of tape, the two ends of the loop are compressed between hot shoe 20 and cold shoe 18. Then the lever 56'engages switch 32 causing electrical current to flow into the coil in hot shoe 29. The tape being thermoplastic fuses and is sealed against itself forming a sealed loop around the bundle. At the same time tape leader 100 is sheared by blade edge 44 engaging the tape against edge 126 of the cold shoe. The lever 56 is then released, deactivating switch 32.

Delay of the further opening of the jaws is designed in the linkage and mechanical setting to complete momentary cooling of the seal. The delay in opening is accomplished by the spring loading of idler 74. When the lower jaw is moved to its fully closed position further pressing of the lever system causes spring 75 to be stretched and causes the upper part of lever 56 to advance and actuate switch 32. Upon release of pressure on the lever system, the switch is deactuated before the lower jaw is permitted to move away from the fully closed position due to the relative movement of the spring loaded roller 74. A brief time for cooling of the fused seal is thus provided. The cooling period may be increased by the operators manipulation of the lever system so as to hold the jaws closed with the heat off. Tensioning means 80 causes band 70 to coil thus returning the lower jaw to its starting position. As the jaws are moved apart, the tool 2 may be removed from the bound bundle.

When roller 88 rotates clockwise, as seen in FIG. 2, rollers 102 and 104 rotate so as to withdraw tape from the tape supply. When roller 88 turns counterclockwise, the tape is drawn backwards into the body 4; thus no excess tape is permitted to remain in contact with the objects to be bound and so forms a taut loop. The excess tape drawn into the body is, in practice, in small quantity so that jamming does not occur, nor does the tape supply ordinarily need to be spring loaded to assist in taking up the excess.

The coation of band 82 and rollers 88, 102, and 104 applies tension to the tape 100 by maintaining the tape 100 taut due to the drawing action of the rollers 102 and 109 in pulling the tape 100 when the roller 88 is turned counterclockwise. The friction between the band 82 and roller 88 is determined so that the band will slide on the roller rather than break tape 100 by excessive tension.

Therefore, as lower jaw 10 returns to its starting position, tension band 82 is pulled into tensioning means 90. As the band 82 passes over roller 88, the roller 88 rotates: clockwise, causing rollers 102 and 104 to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively thus advancing tape leader 100. The tape leader 100 is then in a position to be grasped by the operator and the cycle repeated.

While I have described the principles of my invention in relation to specific embodiments thereof, it should be readily apparent that many variations may be made without departing from the teaching thereof. For example, low melting point metallic wire may be substituted for the thermoplastic tape. Similarly, materials which fuse under heat may also be substituted for the thermoplastic tape. Further, the upper and lower jaws may be the electrodes of a spot welding apparatus for use in sealing materials of high melting points.

Accordingly, while I have described my invention with reference to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is to be interpreted by the state of the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tool for encircling objects with a flexible material comprising a body, means for mounting thermoplastic flexible material within said body, a first jaw mounted on said body, a first arcuate track mounted on said body, a movable second arcuate track disposed adjacent to said first track to coact with and be guided through an arcuate path by said first track, a second jaw mounted on said second arcuate track, means coupled to said second track for producing relative movement of said jaws toward each other, a cold shoe mounted on said first jaw, a hot shoe mounted on said second jaw so as to engage said thermoplastic flexible material between said hot and cold shoes when said jaws are moved toward each other, and heating means coupled to said hot shoe to heat said hot shoe thus fusing said thermoplastic material in a closed loop about said encircled objects.

2. A tool as in claim 1 further including means dis posed adjacent said hot shoe to retain one end of said flexible material.

3. A tool as in claim 2 further including means disposed adjacent said cold shoe to sever said loop of material from said material contained with said body.

4. A tool as in claim 3 further including means coupled to said body to advance said flexible material upon return of said first jaw to its starting position.

5. A tool for encircling objects with a flexible material comprising a body, means for mounting thermoplastic flexible material within said body, a tensioning means coupled to said frame for applying tension to said flexible material to maintain a tensioned loop about encircled ob jects, a first jaw mounted on said body, a first arcuate track mounted on said body, a movable second arcuate track disposed adjacent to said first track to coact with and be guided through an arcuate path by said first track, a second jaw mounted on said second arcuate track, means coupled to said second track for producing relative movement of said jaws toward each other, a cold shoe mounted on said first jaw, a hot shoe mounted on said second jaw so as to engage said thermoplastic flexible material between said hot and cold shoes when said jaws are moved toward each other, and heating means coupled to said hot shoe to heat said hot shoe thus fusing said thermoplastic material in a closed loop about said en circled objects.

6. A tool as in claim 5 further including means for adjusting said tensioning means to permit selectivity of the tension desired.

7. A banding tool for binding bundles comprising a casing with tape disposed therein, a plurality of rollers for moving said tape, encircling means to encircle said tape around a bundle of rod like members, advancing means including a lever assembly to move said encircling means about said bundle, tensioning means coacting with said rollers and said tape to apply a predetermined tension to said tape about said bundle, sealing means to seal said tape and severing means to out said tape.

8. A banding tool as in claim 7, wherein said encircling means comprises an arcuate guide track connected to said casing, an arcuate hot shoe holder disposed in the lower portion of said casing and adapted to coact with said guide track, a hot shoe disposed therein, means to slidably connect said hot shoe holder to said guide track, means connected to said lever assembly of said advancing means to slide said hot shoe holder in said guide track whereby said hot shoe is moved into engagement with a cold shoe connected to the upper portion of said casing thereby encircling a bundle of rod like members disposed therein, and means attached to said hot shoe holder to return said holder to the starting position.

9. A banding tool as in claim 7, wherein said tensioning means comprises an adjustable, spring loaded, tensioning device, and a flexible band connected at one end to said encircling means and at the other end to said tensioning device whereby the tension in said flexible band may be increased or decreased by adjusting said tensioning device.

10. A banding tool as in claim 7, wherein said sealing means comprises a cold shoe attached to the upper portion of said casing, a hot shoe holder slidably connected to said encircling means, a hot shoe attached to said hot shoe holder and arranged to compressively engage said binding tape against said cold shoe, heating means adapted to heat said hot shoe, control means coupled to said lever assembly for applying heat to said hot shoe only when it is adjacent said cold shoe.

11. A banding tool as in claim 7, wherein said severing means comprises a blade connected adjacent said hot shoe and disposed to be moved adjacent said cold shoe whereby tape disposed between said blade and said cold shoe is severed.

12. A banding tool for binding bundles with tape comprising a casing with tape disposed therein, an operating lever attached to said casing, encircling means attached to said casing and actuated by said lever to encircle a bundle of rod like members with said tape, means attached to said casing and actuated by said lever to tension said tape to a predetermined tension, a hot shoe attached to said encircling means to seal said tape in the bound position, shearing means attached to said hot shoe to cut said tape, and spring operated means attached to 7 said casing to return said encircling means to its starting position.

13. A banding tool for binding bundles with tape comprising a casing, an operating lever supported by said casing, a first lever attached to and actuated by said operating lever, a second lever pivotally attached to said casing and actuated by said first lever, a first band attached to said second lever and actuated thereby, a guide track fixedly attached to said casing, said guide track being slotted and arcuate in shape, a cold shoe supported in fixed position by said casing, a hot shoe holder supported by said guide track, said hot shoe holder being arcuate in shape and disposed to slidably move along said guide track, said hot shoe holder being connected to and operated by said first band, a hot shoe attached to said hot shoe holder, said hot shoe being disposed to be moved adjacent said cold shoe by the movement of the hot shoe holder in the guide track, electrical heating means attached to said hot shoe, a first conductor connecting said electrical heating means to a switch, a second conductor connecting said switch to an external power source, said switch being supported by said casing and disposed to be actuated by said operating lever, a second band attached to said hot shoe holder, and adjustable tensioning means mounted to said casing and disposed to apply tension tosaid second band tape, means to dispose said tape within said casing and means to advance said tape when said operating lever returns from compressed to starting position, means connected to said hot shoe holder to engage the free end of said tape and re strain said tape during banding operation, cut-off means to sever tape encircling the bundle from said stored tape and a third band arranged to return said hot shoe holder to its starting position.

14. A tool for encircling objects with a flexible material comprising a body, first and second jaws, mounted on said body for arcuate movement relative to each other, a supply of flexible binding material contained within said body, means for positioning said flexible material adjacent said jaws so that as objects are inserted within said jaws the material partly encircles said objects, and means for producing relative movement of said jaws towards each other to further encircle said objects with said material, said last-mentioned means comprising a first slotted arcuate track fixedly mounted to said body, a second slotted arcuate track disposed to coact with and be guided through an arcuate path by said first track, and actuating means disposed to move said second track in said first track.

15. A banding tool for binding bundles comprising a casing having an opening therein, a supply of tape disposed Withinsaid casing, encircling means operable to encircle a bundle placed within said opening in said casing, advancing means including a lever assembly for moving said encircling means about said bundle, a plurality of rollers to move said tape, tensioning means coacting with said rollers and said tape for applying a predetermined tension to the tape encircling said bundle, sealing means mounted on said encircling means for sealing said encircling tape, and means for severing said tape mounted on said encircling means in sliding relation to said sealing means, said severing means having a slotted opening therein for loosely receiving a leading portion of said tape prior to operation of said encircling means, and for gripping said tape against said sealing means in association with sliding movement of said severing means in response to operating of said encircling means, whereby said tensioning means applies tension to the leading portion of said tape during the encircling of said bundle, and further operates to advance said tape during retraction of said encircling means so as to feed out a new leading portion of said tape towards said slotted opening in said severing means, during extraction of said bound bundle from said casing opening.

16. A banding tool as in claim 7, wherein said advancing means comprises in addition to said lever assembly, a first flexible band connected at one end to said lever assembly and at the other to said encircling means, a second flexible band, means for applying tension to said second flexible band, said second flexible band being connected at one end to said encircling means and at the other end to said means for applying tension to said second flexible band whereby displacement of said lever assembly advances said encircling means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,645,071 Mattson 'July 14, 1953 2,651,900 Heilman Sept. 15, 1953 2,881,577 McLaren Apr. 14, 1959 

1. A TOOL FOR ENCIRCLING OBJECTS WITH A FLEXIBLE MATERIAL COMPRISING A BODY, MEANS FOR MOUNTING THERMOPLASTIC FLEXIBLE MATERIAL WITHIN SAID BODY, A FIRST JAW MOUNTED ON SAID BODY, A FIRST ARCUATE TRACK MOUNTED ON SAID BODY, A MOVABLE SECOND ARCUATE TRACK DISPOSED ADJACENT TO SAID FIRST TRACK TO COACT WITH AND BE GUIDED THROUGH AN ARCUATE PATH BY SAID FIRST TRACK, A SECOND JAW MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND ARCUATE TRACK, MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SECOND TRACK FOR PRODUCING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID JAWS TOWARD EACH OTHER, A COLD SHOE MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST JAW, A HOT SHOE MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND JAW SO AS TO ENGAGE SAID THERMOPLASTIC FLEXIBLE MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID HOT AND COLD SHOES WHEN SAID JAWS ARE MOVED TOWARD EACH OTHER, AND HEATING MEANS COUPLED TO SAID HOT SHOE TO HEAT SAID HOT SHOE THUS FUSING SAID THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL IN A CLOSED LOOP ABOUT SAID ENCIRCLED OBJECTS. 